Tag: top skills of 2016

So what are the top skills of 2016?

It’s nearing the end of October and according to LinkedIn and their vast data resources, there’s a good chance that you or someone you know is looking for a new job! This is the month that they see the highest amount of job applications made.

In today’s post, we’re going to be revealing the top skills of 2016 for you, as well as comparing them with last years results.

If you’re preparing yourself for a job search (or are already in one) then maybe it’s time to focus on learning / improving your knowledge of one of the following skills. Who knows, it might even land you a job!

Cloud and Distributed Computing – no change

Statistical Analysis and Data Mining – no change

Web Architecture and Development Framework – up 6 places

Middleware and Integration Software – up 1 place

User Interface Design – up 5 places

Network and Information Security – up 1 place

Mobile Development – down 1 place

Data Presentation – not recorded in 2015

SEO / SEM Marketing – down 5 places

Storage Systems and Management – down 2 places

2015:

Cloud and Distributed Computing

Statistical Analysis and Data Mining

Marketing Campaign Management

SEO / SEM Marketing

Middleware and Integration Software

Mobile Development

Network and Information Security

Storage Systems and Management

Web Architecture and Development Frameworks

User Interface Design

So as you can see, there were quite a few changes, both positive and negative.

A demand for SEO / SEM Marketers has slowed down quite a bit, with its rank being dropped from 4th to a worrying 9th. Marketing Campaign Management (seen in the 2015 list) has completely dropped off! LinkedIn says:

Demand for marketing skills is slowing because the supply of people with marketing skills has caught up with employers’ demand for people with marketing skills

Data and cloud continue to clutch the top spot, being comfortably planted at #1 for the last two years.

These skills are in such high demand because they’re at the cutting edge of technology. Employers need employees with cloud and distributed computing, statistical analysis and data mining skills to stay competitive.

Data Presentation has made a first-time appearance on the list, achieving spot #8. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining didn’t move from its second spot either:

employers need employees who can organize data so it’s easy for people to understand

User Interface Design is absolutely smashing these ranks, being placed at #14 in 2014, #10 last year and #5 this year, that’s the second largest jump on this year’s top skills list!

Data has become central to many products, which has created a need for people with user interface design skills who can make those products easy for customers to use

That’s the end of this years look at LinkedIn’s top skills of 2016 data breakdown, you can view the entire report here, which even features statistics for top skills by country (including the UK).

If you have any of these skills, then make sure you’re featuring them on your LinkedIn profile. That’s going to be the best way of telling Recruiters and Hiring Managers what you’re capable of and (more importantly) you’ll up show in their search results!

If however, you don’t have any of these skills, but some of them stand out to you and sound interesting, then why not take some time to learn about them, and invest in some paid for training / certifications.